Module 4-5
Developing Research Skills
What this module is about
Learning to become a scientist is interesting and exciting. Many scientific skills are
being developed in the process of acquiring science concepts in the classroom, in
performing experiments in the laboratory, and in doing household chores.
Scientists are detectives: they investigate various parts of our universe and gather
many pieces of information. Their goal is to piece all these data together to form theories –
big ideas that can explain whole sets of facts.
This module will bring you to the world of scientists. How do scientists work? How do
they solve problems? In most cases, scientists solve problems by making thorough
investigations. They follow a logical method of solving problems called the scientific method.
This method minimizes the chances of making mistakes. You will study the following
lessons in this module:
Lesson 1 - Identifying a Problem and Formulating Hypothesis
Lesson 2 - Experimentation, Observation and Gathering Data
Lesson 3 - Making Conclusions and Generalizations
What you are expected to learn
After going through the module, you are expected to be able to:
1. identify a problem
2. formulate a hypothesis
3. design a procedure to test the hypothesis
4. collect data and present them in appropriate format
5. observe trends and patterns
6. make generalizations and conclusions
7. identify limitations and make recommendations
How to learn from this module
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Here’s a simple guide for you in going about this module:
1. Take your time in reading the instructions.
2. Follow the instructions very carefully.
3. Before working on the activities, answer the 7-item test in order to determine
how much you know about the lessons in this module.
4. Check your answers with the given answer key at the end of this module.
5. Be very honest in answering the test items so you may gauge the previous
knowledge you have.
6. Read each lesson and do activities about the science processes that are
provided for you.
7. Perform all the activities diligently to help and guide you in understanding the
topic.
8. Take the self-tests after each lesson to determine how much you understood
the topic.
9. Answer the post-test to measure how much you have gained from the lessons.
Good Luck and have fun!
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What to do before (Pretest)
For Questions 1 – 7, refer to the situation below. Write the letter of the best answer
on the space provided before each item. Each question is worth 1 point.
Using a medicine dropper and water, a student determines the number of water
drops that different sizes of coins can hold. He gathers the data and records them in the
table below
Number of Water Drops
No. of
Trials
1
2
3
Average
10-peso
5 - peso
1-peso
25-centavo
45
47
48
47
53
52
54
53
34
30
32
32
15
17
17
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1. What is the problem of the student in this experiment?
a. size of the coins
b. total amount of coins
c. type of medicine dropper
d. amount of water drops that different sizes of coin can hold
2. By looking at the data, which coin holds the greatest number of water drops?
a. a 10-peso coin
b. a 5-peso coin
c. a 1-peso coin
d. a 25 centavo coin
3. Which factor do you think has something to do with the differences in the number of
water drops a coin can hold?
a. distance of medicine dropper from the coin
b. sizes of the coins
c. diameter of the dropper
d. all of the above
4. If you want to verify whether the size of the coins affects the number of water drops
that a coin can hold, which of the following hypothesis will you test?
a. The farther the distance of the dropper, the more water drops the coin can
hold.
b. The bigger the diameter of the dropper, the more water drops the coin can
hold
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c. The bigger the size of the coin, the more water drops it can hold.
d. The bigger the water drops, the more each coin can hold.
5. Proving the hypothesis “the bigger the size of the coin, the more water drops it can
hold”, which of the following variables will remain unchanged?
a. amount of pressure on the rubber of the medicine dropper
b. distance of the dropper from the coin
c. size of the medicine dropper used
d. size of the coins
6. Which of the following can you identify as the responding variable?
a. number of water drops
b. size of the coin
c. diameter of the dropper
d. kind of medicine dropper
7. Where should you base your conclusion or generalization?
a. gathered data
b. results of the series of experiment performed
c. direct observations
d. all of the above
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Module 4-5
Developing Scientific Skills
Lesson 1 Identifying a Problem and Formulating a Hypothesis
When you were a child, what was the thing that you looked for in a playground?
Probably your answer is a set of movable bars or a see-saw. Have you ever wondered how
a see-saw works? Many questions in our minds have now been answered by Science and
Technology. Through Science and Technology, we have been able to produce all comforts
and convenience in life and managed our environment to acquire our needs. We have
improved our ways of communication, transportation, household facilities,recreation and
upgraded our medical equipment.
Scientists follow step-by-step procedures before arriving at a conclusion. In this
module, you will do what scientists do in identifying and solving problems. You will solve
problems, think critically, make decisions, find answers and satisfy your curiosity.
Solutions to problems start with the formulation of a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an
educated guess based on one’s observation. It is a tentative explanation for a behavior,
event or phenomenon that will occur. A hypothesis maybe rejected or accepted.
Formulating a hypothesis is the same as predicting. It is made about future events on
the basis of ordered data. From the hypothesis, solutions to the problem can be sought.
In the following article taken from Science and Technology I SEDP Series, DECS pp.
3 – 4, you can answer your questions on how these inventions and discoveries have been
made usable.
What you will do
Activity 1.1
The story of Thomas Alva Edison
Read the article and answer the self-test given after reading the article.
The Story of Thomas Alva Edison
“Thomas Alva Edison once noticed that when electricity flowed through a piece of
iron wire, the iron wire became red hot. The wire glowed brightly, but not bright enough to
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light a room. When he used a thinner piece of iron wire and allowed electricity to pass
through, the wire glowed. But he wanted greater brightness. He tried other metals. Finally
he discovered that a thin piece of tungsten wire could actually glow so bright that it could
light up a room.
But he also saw the glow did not last long. After a few minutes, the wire had burned
to ashes. He wondered why. He knew that oxygen is needed in burning. Using a machine
he pumped out all the air inside the bulb. He enclosed the tungsten wire in what he thought
was already an oxygen-free bulb. He tested the bulb. The bulb glowed longer than before.
What he wanted was a bulb to glow longer and give light steadily, so he continued with his
experiment.
He pumped out all the air or gases inside the tube and test the bulb. He repeated this
steps over and over again getting several bulbs busted in the process. He did not lose hope.
He continued with the experiment until finally the tungsten wire glowed steadily and brighter.
He knew that he succeeded. He invented the incandescent light bulb.
Source: Science and Technology I, SEDP Series, DECS pp. 3-4.
What you will do
Self-Test 1.1
Answer the following questions. Write the letter that corresponds to the right answer before
the number. Check your Answers on page 19.
_____ 1. What was the problem of Thomas Alva Edison in his experiment?
a. Where does electricity come from?
b. What makes an iron glow?
c. How to make a wire glow brighter?
d. How to make a light enough to lit a room using a wire?
_____ 2. What was his hypothesis in making the wire glow brighter?
a. The thinner the wire, the brighter will be the bulb.
b. Tungsten wire can produce more brightness than ordinary wire.
c. Tungsten wire can light longer in oxygen-free bulbs.
d. The more oxygen in the bulb, the less glow is produced.
_____ 3. What was the basis of the hypothesis?
a. What is produced when electricity is allowed to pass through a piece of iron
wire?
b. What reaction tungsten wire has compared to the piece of iron wire?
c. What would it be like when there is no electricity?
d. Which type of metal glow brighter?
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_____ 4. Which of the following methods of solving a problem is applied to Edison’s case?
a. popular method
b. trial and error method
c. serendipity
d. scientific method
_____ 5. What personal trait helped Thomas Edison invent the incandescent bulb?
a. persistence
c. patience
b. resourcefulness
d. All of these
What you will do
Activity 1.2
Read the following situations and answer the questions given to test whether you fully
understood the processes of identifying a problem and formulating hypothesis:
1. Your house is located in a congested residential area in Buenavista. The place is so
congested. You have a neighbor who owns a piggery. Knowing the characteristics of this
business, and being one of the members of the community, what should you do? Will
you complain against the owner? Why or why not?
a. State the problem.
b. Give ways on how to solve the problem without resorting to quarrel.
Write your answer here:
2. Mario graduated valedictorian in one of the prestigious public high schools in Manila.
Naturally when he got to college, he was expected to do well and graduate with
honors. But Mario got hooked on network games and surfing the internet. Soon
enough, his grades suffered and he did not do well as expected. What do you think
caused his poor performance in school?
a. Formulate your hypothesis as many as possible
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Lesson 2 Experimentation, Observation and Data-gathering
Experimentation is a cause-and-effect test between two variables. All processes
may be involved. This can begin with setting a problem to be solved, identifying variables to
be controlled, making operational definitions, devising the test to be carried out and
following the prescribed procedure or steps.
Controlling variables involves the process of deciding which variables or factors will
influence the outcome of an experiment, situation or event and deliberately controlling all
recognized variables in a systematic manner.
Certain methods are used over and over to develop and test scientific ideas. One of
these methods is so basic to all sciences that there can be no science without it. This
method is called observation. This involves obtaining information about objects, situations,
or events using as many senses as possible. Observation may be qualitative or quantitative
in nature. Observing provides both basis for new inferences or hypotheses. Inferring means
suggesting more about a set of conditions that is observed. These are based on observed
data and past experience.
Data-gathering or collecting data is the most essential step in scientific method. It
involves the processes of measurement, classifying, comparing, estimating and other steps
of doing an experiment. Measurement is a process of quantified observation using
measuring devices. It is a process of comparing an unknown quantity with a known quantity
or standard. Classifying involves the grouping of objects, concepts or events on the basis
of observable properties to show similarities, differences and inter-relationships.
These three processes are very important in the work of a scientist and therefore
cannot be omitted in doing an analysis to solve a problem.
What you will do
Activity 1.2
Perform the following activities:
A. Go out and look for a place where you can find different kinds of leaves




Draw the shape of the leaves in column 1
Use your senses – sight, touch (texture or color), smell to observe
Record your observations in the table provided below.
Fill up the table properly
Observations of Unknowns
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Shape of
the Leaf
Appearance/Color
Texture
Smell
A
B
C
D
Guide Questions:
Use the data you gathered during this investigation to help you answer the following
questions:
1. Which of your senses gave the most information about the samples?
_______________________________________________________
2. Which of your senses helped you the most in distinguishing the samples?
_______________________________________________________
3. All your senses have limitations. Name several scientific instruments that help you
overcome the limitations of each of your senses
Sight: ______________________________________________
Touch ______________________________________________
Smell _______________________________________________
Taste _______________________________________________
4. Suppose you waited until you have finished on all five substances before you
recorded the data. What might have happened to the record of your observations?
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___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_
5. Is it important that a scientist record his data immediately? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
B. Do the following using a thermometer

Take your temperature every morning for five consecutive days. Graph the
data with the temperature on the Y-axis and the date on the x-axis
Date
Can you use the graph to know what will be the temperature in the next 5
days? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
C. Do the following using 5 textbooks and a ruler:




Get 5 books with different thickness.
Measure the thickness of each of these five textbooks in millimeters. Do not include
the covers.
Count the number of pages in each of the 5 textbooks.
Record your data in the table provided for:
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Textbook

Thickness
Pages
Plot the data on a graph with the thickness on the Y-axis and the number of
pages on the X-axis
Number of pages
What are the different science processes demonstrated in the activities
performed?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
What you will do
Self-Test 2.1
Can you tell which of the following statements are true? Read each statement. If it is
true, write a T and if it is false, write an F in the blank before the statement
_____ 1. Observation is the act of gathering information using the five senses.
_____ 2. A scientific data explains why things happen.
_____ 3. Of all the ways to solve a problem using scientific method, prediction on the basis
of a trend is the most effective and accurate.
_____ 4. Inferring means looking for what objects have in common or looking for their
differences.
_____5. The statement “Mercury is denser than water” is a generalization.
_____ 6. During experiment, one tries to form a theory as quickly as possible. This process
is called hypothesizing.
_____ 7. Repeating and performing similar experiments can verify a solution to a problem.
_____ 8. A scientist would most likely find a solution to problem by survey technique.
_____ 9. A qualitative data is numerical in nature.
_____10. Little by little you uncover several patterns during an experiment. This process is
called data gathering.
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Lesson 3 Making Conclusions and Generalizations
The processes of formulating conclusions or generalizations include the
interpretation of data gathered. In this process, a scientist uses his sense of observations in
forms of inferences, generalizations or explanations. It is usually a direct response to the
problem under investigation and therefore includes judgments about the interpretation to fit
the proposed hypothesis and the formulation of the new knowledge. Also, formulation of
conclusion is the process of organizing and processing data gathered. It involves organizing
“rough” data into a more compact and meaningful way to solve a particular problem. It is the
formation of direct evidences as performed in the series of experiment.
One of the most important steps in scientific method is choosing a solution to the
original problem. Unless you consider all available data, you will end up choosing a wrong
one.
What you will do
Activity 3.1
Perform the following activity
Materials:
Evaporated Milk
Vinegar
Empty transparent container
Procedure:
1. Before mixing the two liquids, formulate first your hypothesis. Write as many as
you can.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Mix solution of equal amounts of evaporated milk and vinegar in a glass of
transparent bottle and shake slowly. Observe what happens. Record your
observations. Please ask for the assistance of your parents or guardian.
_________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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1. Are all your hypotheses correct? ______________________________________
2. What conclusion can you make out of the experiment you have performed?
Formulate your conclusion.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
As you perform this investigation, you will:


become familiar with the steps of the scientific method
use the scientific method of thinking to solve a problem.
Answer the following questions and write your answers on the space provided
after each number.
1. The first step of a scientific method is to identify the problem you wish to
solve. What is the problem in this activity?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. After you identify the problem, it is time to make observations. What do you
see?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Next the data from your observations must be organized. What factors do
you think play a part in your observations?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. What’s your answer?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5. Verify your answer or solution by repeating the experiment if you wish to.
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What you will do
Activity 3.2
Try the activity given in the pre-test to verify the answers:
Perform the experiment using the same materials, 5 coins of different sizes – 10peso, 5-peso; 1-peso and a 25-centavo coin.
Do the following procedure:







Lay the coins one by one on a table.
Get a medicine dropper
Fill the medicine with water.
Drop the water in each coin one at a time.
Count the number of water drops needed to fill the coins. Stop dropping
when the water spills over the coin.
Do the same procedure with the other coins.
Record the data on the Table provided for.
Number of Water Drops
No. of Trials
1
2
3
Average

10-peso
5 - peso
1-peso
25-centavo
Answer the following questions.
1. What is the problem in this activity?
_________________________________________
________________________________________
2. Formulate your hypothesis. (List down as many as possible)
Example: The 10-peso coin will hold more drops of water.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
3. Analyze your results. Which coin holds the greatest number of water
drops?
a. a 10-peso coin
b. a 5-peso coin
c. a 1-peso coin
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d. a 25 centavo coin
4. What factor do you think has something to do with the differences in the
number of water drops a coin can hold?
a. distance of medicine dropper from the coin
b. sizes of the coins
c. diameter of the dropper
d. all of the above
5. Which of the following can you identify as the responding variable?
a. number of water drops
b. size of the coin
c. diameter of the dropper
d. kind of medicine dropper
6. Where should you base your conclusion or generalization?
a. gathered data
b. results of the series of experiment performed
c. direct observations
d. what others say about it.
What you will do
Self-Test 3.1
Use the terms from this module (Lessons 1 – 3) to complete the crossword puzzle:
Across
1. to tell future consequences of an event based on observations or patterns of
changes
5 . a chart that organizes numerical data
7. an answer to the problem
9. to test repeatedly
10. characteristics of information in critical thinking
11. ____g an act of carefully controlling arrangement for testing a hypothesis
13. in science, the ________ should always prevail
15. a verified data; it has been tested several times
18. gathering of data and information to test the hypothesis
20. the answer to the problem being tested
21. to compare an unknown quantity with a standard
22. the step-by-step method used by scientists in solving a problem
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Down
1. a basis for accepting a fact or principle
3. to gather data and information using the five senses
4. a set of information
6 a place where scientists usually perform experiments
8. a scientific or educated guess
11. scientist performs experiment to solve this
12. a mental leaning or inclination; an act of giving correct and intelligent guess from
a set of observations
14 ______ data - a set of gathered information leading to the conclusion
16. solving a problem scientifically is ___________ in nature
17. to gather data
19. C_________ - to group materials of the same properties or characteristics
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5
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7
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9
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Let’s summarize

Scientific Method involves the following processes and skills:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identifying a problem
Formulating a hypothesis
Designing a procedure to test the hypothesis
Collecting data and presenting them in appropriate format
Observing trends and patterns
Interpreting data gathered
Making generalizations and conclusions
Identifying limitations and making recommendations
9. Scientific Method is a continuous process used to collect observations,
form and test hypothesis, make predictions, and identify patterns in the
physical world.
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Posttest
A. Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet.
1. How is a hypothesis tested?
a. by using the hypothesis to make predictions about a system.
b. by comparing observations in nature with predictions
c. by doing a series of experiment and looking for results
d. All of the above
2. Which of the following statements would be true of the scientific method?
a. People structure their lives on the principle of scientific method.
b. The scientific method is a continuous process by which people learn about his world.
c. Scientists report the experimental results, but not the experimental designs.
d. When the results of the experiment do not fit the hypothesis, a scientist may discard the
results and stop the experiment.
3. Suppose your mother sent you to the market to buy fruits and vegetables.
How would you choose good quality fruits and vegetables?
a. Ask the vendor to choose it for you.
b. Examine the fruit if it is free from insect bites and the smell of insecticide
c. Just get any kind and pay right away.
d. Tell your mother that you do not know how to buy good quality fruits and vegetables.
4. When scientists wish to communicate the results of their research, they are most likely to do which of
the following?
a. immediately repeat the research
b. call a press conference
c. write a concise report with complete results and proofs to the experiments performed and
formulate conclusions
d. sell their findings to other researchers
5. During an experiment about a coin and feather that were dropped at the same time, it was found that
the coin reached the ground first. One student said: “Maybe, the coin is heavier than the feather.”
What do you call this kind of statement?
a. a problem
b. a hypothesis
c. an interpretation
d. a conclusion
B.
Identification. For Numbers 6 – 10, identify what science processes are revealed in the following
statements: Write your answer on the space provided after the number.
6.
The girl is standing in an open field.
____________________
7.
The blue litmus paper
____________________
turned
red
There was no shadow formed because it is 12 noon.
when
it
was
dipped
into
an
unknown
liquid.
8. The liquid in number 7 is an acid. ____________________
9. The radio is not functioning anymore. Maybe the battery got discharged. ___________________.
10. The metal turned rusty. What made it that way? ________________
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Key to Answers
Pretest
1. d
2. b
3. d
4. c
5. c
6. a
7. d
Self-test 1.1
1. d
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. d
Self-Test 2.1
_ T__ 1. Observation is the act of gathering information using the five senses.
_ T__ 2. A scientific data explains why things happen.
__F_ 3. Of all the ways to solve a problem using scientific method, prediction on the
basis of a trend is the most effective and accurate. EXPERIMENTATION
__F__ 4. Looking for what objects have in common, looking for their differences is
called inferring. COMPARING
__F__ 5. The statement “ Mercury is denser than water” is a generalization.
HYPOTHESIS
__T__ 6. During experiment, one tries to form his theory as quickly as possible. This
process is called hypothesizing. __________________
__T__ 7. Repeating and performing similar experiments can verify a solution to a
problem.
__F__ 8. A scientist would most likely find a solution to problem by survey technique.
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
__F__ 9. A qualitative data is numerical in nature. QUANTITATIVE
__T__10. Little by little you uncovered several patterns during an experiment. This
process is called data gathering.
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Self-Test 3.1
Crossword Puzzle
P1
R
E
I2
D
O3
D4
R
N
B
A
O
T5
S7
O
L
U
T
E
I
A
O
N
F
H8
R
V9
E
R
I
F
E
P 11
R
T
N
M 14
O
H
F
O
B
E
E
D
L
S
R
E 18 X
P
L
E
R
M
I
M
S
E
S
U
R
T 15 H
E
R
E
D
A
U
T
H
E
O
R
Y
M 16
Y
C 17
N
T
N
C
E
S 22 C
D
E
O
C 20 O
A
O
N
S
M 21 E
P
T 13 R
N
L6
B
E
R
B
R
P
I 12
A
A
O 10 R
V
T
E
Y
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C
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L 19
T
L
A
H
L
U
S
I
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E
S
D
C
I
I
T
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F
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C
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Posttest
A. 1. d
2. b
3. b
4. c
5. b
B. 6. interpretation
7. observation
8. generalization
9. formulating hypothesis
10. identifying a problem
Congratulations if you got 7 perfect points!
Try again if your score is 3 and below
-End of Module-
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References
Gebelein, C.G. (2001). Chemistry and our world. USA: WCB Wm. C. Brown Publishers
Nolan A. and Tucker C. (1996), Physical Science USA:, Heath
Salmorin, L. M. and Florido, A. (2003). Science and Technology IV. Quezon City: Abiva Publishing House Inc.
Tillery, B. W. (1999). Physical Science. Singapore: WCB McGraw Hill
Villamil, A. and Sinugbuhan, R. L. (2003). Integrated Science I. Quezon City: ABIVA Publishing House Inc.
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